Vensa Health gears up for mHealth portal with growth grant

Written by Kate McDonald on 02 August 2015.

Auckland-based mobile health technology firm Vensa Health will use an R&D growth grant from Callaghan Innovation to invest further in the apps-based version of its platform it is set to launch next year.

Vensa Health is best known for developing the TXT2Remind SMS-based patient reminder system that is widely used for smoking cessation support as well as immunisation, cervical screening and heart health reminders.

The company says over 650 general practices in New Zealand currently use its solutions to deliver health messages, appointment, screening and medication reminders to over three million Kiwis a year. It is integrated into the Medtech32, VIP and myPractice practice management systems.

It also has an mHealth+ platform designed to handle communications for enterprise capability in hospitals.

Vensa Health CEO Ahmad Jubbawey said the company was now developing an open apps-based mHealth platform to allow patients to connect with their health provider.

“This will allow health providers to introduce new models of care, predominantly in primary care, and patients to receive care more conveniently and efficiently from their health providers,” Mr Jubbawey said in a statement.

“The growth grant will give our R&D program an immediate boost and brings us a step closer to launching our new apps based patient portal platform in 2016. Our new technology will both help the company to scale and open up international markets.”

Mr Jubbawey said the company has been developing its next generation technology for the last two years and had invested a lot of time on user experience.

He plans to release the next generation platform next year in New Zealand and Australia.

Callaghan Innovation's growth grants meet 20 per cent of the cost of a firm’s R&D program up to $15 million over three years.